So replied an enquirer to me, asking whether it was possible to include a variety of special features in her wedding service, to which I had answered 'Yes' to all of them.
Throughout my independent ministry, freed from the shackles of the Church of England, it has been my joy and privilege, to be able to say YES to people's wishes, dreams and hopes.
From my early ministerial days, nearly 40 years ago, when society was so constrained and coerced by Church and State to conform, to these more liberal days of greater individual choice and expression, I have been able to open the doors of possibilities and opportunities to thousands of people.
When the church, religion, dogma, prejudice, discrimination, flawed legislation and an intrusive state had slammed the door in their faces, with a brutal, unwavering, often judgemental 'NO', that had extinguished the candlelight of their dreams, denied their identities and realities, and rendered them hopeless, it has been my profound joy to say that simple word - YES.
Jesus was one of those who taught us, by his example, how to say 'YES' to people. How to approach things differently, see things in the alternative, spot the new horizons and find a way through the difficulties.
The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam pulses with the same message, finishing with this glorious verse affirming the desire to fulfil the aspirations of others, rather than to crush them:
And thou thyself, with shining feet shall pass
Among the guests, star scattered on the grass
And in thy joyous errand reach the spot
Where I made one turn down an empty glass
May we continue to learn, throughout our lives, how to be the sunlight that encourages growth in others. May we learn how to clear away all the unnecessary restrictions and 'No' obstacles that power brokers, frightened systems and protective monopolies place in the path of the innocent. May we be wise and confident in assessing, and if necessary challenging, the status quo, in every situation in which we find ourselves, to ensure that people are not being denied their best. And if it is not possible to trigger change and achieve reform from within, then be original, and offer a new way forward yourself.
ARCHBISHOP JONATHAN BLAKE - MY LIFE - PART ONE
ARCHBISHOP JONATHAN BLAKE - MY LIFE - PART TWO
I AM PROUD OF MY WRITING, FOR JESUS’S SAKE, THAT HAS HAD ME FOUND INNOCENT IN HEAVEN, BUT TWICE A CRIMINAL ON THE EARTH. THE FIRST IN 1990 WHEN I WROTE A BIBLICAL TEXT ON THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT IN PEACEFUL PROTEST ABOUT THE BOMBING OF YOUNG IRAQI RECRUITS DURING THE FIRST GULF WAR. THE SECOND, IN 2016 WHEN I WROTE ON MY BLOG, TO ALERT THE PUBLIC ABOUT A PAEDOPHILE, AND WAS SUCCESSFUL IN FORCING THE AUTHORITIES TO STOP HIM HAVING ACCESS TO CHILDREN. THERE WAS ALMOST A THIRD! IN 1997, WHEN I WAS ARRESTED FOR NAILING MY PROPOSALS FOR REFORM OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND ON THE DOOR OF CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL. WORDS ARE POWERFUL MESSAGES THAT CHALLENGE CORRUPTION, CONFRONT THE WICKED AND CREATE A BETTER WORLD. JESUS IS THE WORD OF GOD AND HIS FOLLOWERS ARE CALLED TO COMMUNICATE HIS WORDS, IRRESPECTIVE OF THE COST.
"You brave, courageous and wonderful man. To stand up for the truth
in the face of suppression and oppression is truly an act of a pure heart."
